Turbine-engine.



vv. C. DOWNWARD.y

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLycATloN FILED APR.13.19I7.

WITN ESSES www l INVENTOR ATTOR N EY W. C. DOWNWARD.

TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3, 1911.

1,283,699. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vw; 35 Q7. 2 52 $1@ -,Z( /Ca INVENTOR WM ATToR N EY UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

WILLIAM C'VDOWNWARD, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

TUnBINE-ENGINE.

Specicati'on of Letters Patent.

. Patented Nov. 5, 191s.

Application filed April 18, 1917. Serial No.- 161,814.

WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbine-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam engines and particularly to a steam engine of the turbine type, the principal object of the invention being to provide an engine with an improved 'type-Tof rotor mounted upon the engine shaft and fitted with novel impact ribsykand cross strips against which the ventering steam acts to revolve the rotor within the cylinder or housing.

Another object of the invention is to construct the engine in such manner that the rotor may be operated in either direction desired according to the-position in which the control valve is turned, the engine being rendered inoperative when the valve is placed in a neutral position between the two steam passages leading tothe engine casing.

Another-object of the invention is to provide an engine comprising a minimum number'of partspiitted and secured together tov prevent leakage, the whole `forming a steam engine of the turbine type which -will be strong and durable, not liable to easily get out of order and which may be rotated in either direction at the will of the operator.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, lthe invention resides in the novel formation, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying ydrawings, in which Figure l is a view showing the improved turbine engine in vertical section taken in a plane coincident-with the axis of rotation.

Fig. 2 is a view of the improved engine .in vert-ical central section taken at a right angle to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the rotor as seen from the edge thereof, and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion vof the rotor taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. A

The improved engine of the present invention is shown mounted in a base 10 provided with end standards 11 and with a cradle 12 intermediate the standards to support the rotor cylinder or engine casing which will be described more fully hereinafter. Carried by the upper end of each standardA 11 is a bearing 15, said bearings vbeing fitted to receive the engine shaft 16 which extends across the space between the standards 11 and is provided intermediatel its length with an abutment collar .A 17, threaded onA the shaft as shown, or rigid therewith. -Ashort distance from the collar 17 the shaft is threaded as at 18 to carry a clamping'collar or nut 19 for a purpose to be hereinafter brought out.

The engine cylinder or casing comprises two side disks or plates 20 of circular form land a shallow annular, band 21- between them to which said disks 20 are secured by means of bolts or other fasteners 22. The engine casing rests upon the cradle l2 and is secured thereto by bolts or other fastenwhich passes from thence out through one o r more exhaust pipes 14 projecting down# form tight joints around the engine shaft and thus prevent danger of steam leaking from the chambers 26 of the hubs. At the top of the cylinder, the annular member 21 is formed with a shoulder 29 upon which a valve housing 28 is secured by bolts or other fastening means 30, said valve casing being formed with a steam passage 31 leading thereinto; the passage being branched in opposite directions, as at 32 and 33, within the casing and communicating with alined steam passages 34' and 35 that open into'the interior of the engine casing or housing at a tangent thereto.,y A rotary valve 36 extends through the valve housing 28V and intersects the steam passage 31 at its connectionnwith the branch ypassages 32 and 33, said valve forming with a passage 37 which when in the position lshown in Fig. 2, will admit Steam at full pressure to one side of the engine and rotate the same in that direction,

but when the valve is turned by the handle laround the rotor.

The rotor of the steam engine is mounted upon and rigidly secured to the en ine shaft 16 between the abutment collar 1 andthe clamping collar or nut 19 and is made of two circular plates or disks 39 spaced apart as shown and each provided withan inwardly projecting hub 40 which hubs abut and separate the disks. The rotor is secured to the shaft by means of a key 43 fitting in key-ways 41 and 42 in the hubs and the shaft respectively. The plates or disks 39v of the rotor are provided adjacent'their hubs with escape ports 44 for the dead or used steam, the escape ports registering with the chambers 26 in the hubs' 24 of the casing' and increasing in diameter from Within outwardly to permit the steam to pass easily from the rotor into the chambers 26 and thence out through the exhaust pipes 14. Bushings 45 are mounted in seats formed in the walls 20 of the cylinder casing `adjacentthe hubs 24 and are held in engagement with the disks 39 by springs 46, thus providing means for preventing leakage of steam From this construction it will be apparent that a rotor has been provided within a casing and packed therein in such manner as to necessitate forcing the steam to pass between the side plates of the rotor in order to reach the exhaust ports 44.

Between the side plates 39 of the rotor at their peripheries are a plurality of transverse ribs or cross bars 48 fixed at their ends to said disks and spaced a short distance apart. rlhese ribs are of triangular cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, and are arrangedwith their bases outwardly, their apices projecting inwardly toward the axis of rotation and so present to the steam enn tering through either of the branches 34 or 35 an angular surface to receive the impact of the steam and direct it toward the shaft 16. In addition to the'transverse ribs 48 each disk 39 carriesa pluralityof radial ribs 47 of triangular cross section`as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4 and preferably integrally formed with' the disks. The ribs 47 on each disk are spaced a short distanceapart and have their bases resting upon the disk, the sides of each rib converging to a crest or edge substantially parallel to the face of the disk, and extending partway across the space between the disks, this extension being such that the ribs on one disk overlap those of the opposite, a narrow steam space being left between the ribs as clearly shown in Fig. 4. lThe faces of the radial ribs are provided with transverse corrugations 49 as shown wherebythe steam passing between the ribs will ,more readily act upon their surfaces and impart the force of the steam to the rotor. The ribs 47 extend from near the hubs 40 of the rotor to within a short distance in such relation thereto that the entering raeaeee steam striking the inclined faces of the transverse ribs 48 will be deflected against the inclined faces of the radial ribs and so act against said ribs to turn the rotor.

Steam entering thevinlet port 31 is directed by the valve 36 when the latter is set as in Fig. 2, to the left and passing ihence through the branch 32 and its continuation 34, enters tangentially into the engine casing and impinges upon the rotor, striking the transverse ribs 48 and being deflected by them against'the ribs 47 imparts its energy to the rotor and causes the latter to-revolve. rlhe radial ribs 47 are made narrower as they approach the axis of rotation and so provide greater space between the ribs of the two disks and so allow for the expansion of steam which after escaping beyond the ribs passes outwardly through the ports 44 into the chambers 26 and from thence out through the exhaust pipes 14, the steam being thus caused to act in the most eliicient manner upon the rotor and impart its energy of impact thereto. y

The engine is simple, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and when in place, the valve 86 may be turned to the right or left to permit steam entering in the same direction to the rotor for the purpose of causing it to revolve to the right or left as desired. When, nowever, the rotation of the engine is to be stopped, the valve will be turned into such position as to close the branch openings 32 and 33 against the entrance of steam and thus cutting olf the rotor the latter will cease to be driven.

From the above it will be clear that a turbine engine has been rovided which is simple in construction, e 'cient in operation and at the same time both strong and durable.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what. may be considered the preferred, or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, '.laterials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A turbine engine comprising a base, a cylinder casing carried by the base and provided with outlet ports and with an inlet port having branches leading therefrom, means fortdirecting the passage of steam vthrough the inlet into one of the branches thereof, an engine shaft rotatably supported by said base and extending through the cylinder casing, and a rotor mounted uponthe engine shaft within the cylinder casing and comprising side disks provided with escape ports adjacent the engine shaft, hub members for said disks fitting upon the engine shaft, means for clamping the hub members of the side disks in tight engagement upon the engine shaft, the disks being held against rotation thereon, ribs extending from the side disks in overlapping and spaced relation, the ribs being substantially triangular in cross section, and tapering from the outer edges of the side disks toward the hubs thereof, transverse corrugations extending from the side faces of the ribs, and cross bars connecting the edge portions of the side disks and positioned in spaced relation to the ribs and substantially triangular in cross section.

2. A turbine engine comprising a cylinder casin having central steam outlet chambers forming bearings, agnengine shaftextending through tle cylinder casing to the bearings thereof, the casing being provided with a live steam inlet having valve controlled branches leading therefrom, anda rotor mounted upon the engine shaft within the cylinder and comprising side disks having hubs fitting upon the engine shaft and held against rotation thereon, the side disks,

bein provided with outlet ports adjacent the ubs and communicating with the outlet chambers of the casing, ribs extending from the inner faces of the side -disks in spaced and overlapping relation, the ribs being triangular in crosssection and tapering toward the hubs and provided with transverse corrugations, and cross bars connecting the edge portions of the Side disks in spaced relation to the ribs and substantially triangular in cross section.

3. A turbine engine comprising a casing forming a cylinder Chamber provided with steam inlets and outlets, an engine. shaft extending through the casing, and a rotor lmounted upon the engine shaft within the casing and comprising side plates rigid upon the engine shaft and extending inspaced relation from the shaft, ribs extendlng from the inner faces of the side disks in spaced and overlapping relation, the ribs being triangular in cross section and provided with transverse corrugations, and cross bars connecting the edge portions of the side disks and positioned in-spaced relation to the ribs and being substantially triangular in cross section. t 4. A turbineengine comprising a Casin forming a cylinder chamber provided wit steam inlets and outlets, an engine shaft l extending through the casing, and a rotor mounted upon theengine shaft within the cylinder casing and vcomprising side disks having outlet ports adjacent thel engine shaft, ribs extending from the inner faces of the side disks between the outlet ports and the outer edges of the disks, said ribs being substantially triangular in cross section, and extendingin overlapping relation and tapered toward the engine shaft, and cross bars-connecting theside disks and substantially triangular in cross section.

5,-AA turbine engine comprising `a casing 4forming a cylinder having steam inlets and outlets, a rotor rotatable in said cylinder andhaving side disks extending in spaced relation, ribs extending from the linner faces of the side disks in spacedv relation and tapered toward the central portions of the disks, the ribs being substantially triangular vin cross section, and cross bars connecting the edge'portions of the side disks in spaced relation to the ribs andV substantially:

triangular in cross section.l

6. A turbine engine `comprising a casing having inlets and outlets, an`engine shaft extending through the casing, and a rotor carried by theengine shaft Within the casing and comprising side disks extending in spaced relat1on and 'having their central portions provided with escape ports, ribs extending from the inner faces of the side alsv disks in overlapping and, spaced relation and extending radially of the disks, and cross bars connecting the side vdisksand extending in spaced relation tothe outer. end portions of said ribs. I

7. A turbine engine including a cylinder casing,- and a rotor in said casing comprisi a palr of spaced parallel disks, each dis having spaced radial ribs oftriangular cross section extending from its iriner face, the ribs of said disks alternating'with one another and arranged in overlapping -relation to form a tortuous, passage between the disks, each rib having transverse corrugations on its sides extending through its length.

In testimon whereof I alix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

WILLIAM C. DOWN WARD. Witnesses:

WM. THOMAS WRIGHT, E. B. LownEN. 

